A person may be smoking for five days, five weeks, five months, or five years, but it’s never too late to stop. The body will benefit regardless of when one decides to leave the habit. Still, the sooner an individual quits smoking, the higher are the chances of keeping diseases like cancer at bay. In this article, we’ll address the different health benefits of quitting smoking. Let’s get started and address them one by one.

1. Blood pressure and heart rate normalize
Within 30 minutes of smoking cessation, blood pressure and heart rate return to normal levels. It’s good because high blood pressure can be a silent killer. It can have devastating impacts, often without symptoms, such as a stroke, heart attack, vision loss, and other problems. A high pulse rate also puts pressure on the heart, resulting in breathing issues, chest pain, dizziness, and tiredness. One can quit smoking to prevent such problems.

2. Breathing gets easier
In just eight hours of quitting, the body’s oxygen levels return to normal. Consequently, lung function improves. And when the lungs heal, individuals are unlikely to feel breathless. Moreover, one tends to cough less. In the coming months and weeks, the respiratory tract heals.

3. Lung cancer risk declines
It’s true that when a person quits smoking, their risk of developing different cancers, such as pancreatic and larynx cancer, declines. However, it can take a decade to cut down the risk of lung cancer by even 50 percent. This is because the lungs take a severe beating due to smoke exposure over the years.

4. Improved taste and smell
After two days of quitting, the sense of smell and taste will improve and get even better in the upcoming weeks. The loss of sensation is a direct side-effect of smoking. Cigarette smoke has nicotine and other chemicals, which, when paired with the heated air, affect the taste and smell buds and lower nerve responses. So, one can quit smoking to solve the problem and relish aromas and flavors more profoundly.

5. Heart attack risk lowers
Smoking is the number one cause of heart attacks. But the good news is that even a day without cigarettes can reduce the susceptibility. The risk comes down further with time. If someone has already experienced a heart attack in the past, limiting cigarette smoking can reduce the risk of a second attack by 50 percent.

6. Hair, nails, and skin look better
Smoking can stain a person’s nails and teeth and cause them to turn yellow. It can also make the hair brittle and skin dull. However, one can quit smoking to reverse these changes. Giving up the habit improves blood flow, making one’s skin look radiant and brightening up their smile.